I can't remember if there was a spring for the 3-4 accumulator or not when I disassembled. I looked at the valvebody spacer plate and it looked like it had a wear pattern that appeared like the 3-4 accumulator didn't have a spring. This is an LS1 late model with the removable bell housing.

 

The 3-4 does have a spring , there are two schools of thought on which way it goes in though , But we and I do it this way spring in first then accum piston and since you dont see that there are marks where there was one thats probably the way yours was installed also, But it most definatley had and should have a spring,

 

I have read that many builders remove this spring. When I disassembled I laid everything out on my workbench. When I went to reinstall there wasn't a spring, I tore my garage apart and couldn't find one and if my memory serves me right it wasn't there. With this being said, what are the effects of not running a 3-4 accumulator spring????

 

if you do not run it use washer to stop travel of the piston this will give the same affect as putting the spring in first

 

While doing the wife's shift kit, I was suprised not to find a spring in there. I put the transgo supplied one in when I reassembled.

Here's everything that came out. No spring. Stock '02 trans never opened.

 

that is odd, but i dont think it would hurt anything either

 

Ive seen this also on a few occassions now, on virgin transmissions of late f-bodies. I wondered the same thing, but apparently some dont have the 3-4 spring. I would think no spring would allow to long of a pause between band apply and the time it takes to fill that hole, but something must have been changed elsewhere for this to work, just haven't had time to look into it. The piston in the case should have the legs facing up, but it doesnt really matter much.

 

actuallu thre is modulated line on one side of the piston so it would be fully stroked toward the 4th clutch oil and depending on the modulated line would effectivly be blocked

 

I put it back together without the spring. All that is left is to bolt up the pan and install the tranny. I'm curious to see how it turns out. I didn't install a shift kit b/c I have billet servos and it was shifting plenty hard enough before. I also ended up putting the Alto carbon wideband in it with a new reverse drum. I did close up the clearance for the 3-4 clutches to .015 instead of .030-.035. I am running the red eagle 9 clutch pack with kolene steels, do you see any problem with this????

 

no it should be fine since once applied several times the clearance will open up quite a bit i have noted , I will suggest that when you first start it thats its in neutral wheels raised